Touch tunnel

ABSTRACT

This invention is a method of using articulating boat hull segments to allow a boat operator to convert between a conventionally-hulled and a tunnel-hulled configuration.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

A Provisional Patent Application No. 60/277,895 submitted on filing dateMar. 23,2001 by Applicant: James Michael Costello, Titled: Touch Tunnel.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTINGCOMPACT DISK APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The field of this invention relates to planing boat hulls in general. Inparticular, it relates to boats that need to operate in shallow orhabitat-sensitive areas, using a method of reducing vessel draft whileon plane.

It is known that some planing hulls are designed to operate in shallowwater. Usually called skiff or flats boats (herein referred to as“skiffs”), these hulls range from flat bottoms to a deadrise of lessthan 20 degrees. These boats can usually operate in 18 inches to 36inches of water, but because the propeller is fixed below the transom,operation in shallower areas can cause habitat (grass flats or coralflats) destruction and/or damage to marine animals (manatees, turtles,etc.).

It is known that by building a tunnel into these types of hulls, wateris redirected upward in a manner that allows the motor (and thus thepropeller) to be mounted in a significantly higher position on thetransom. Because only a few inches of water are needed to fill thetunnel, this type of hull can perform in much shallower areas thanconventionally-hulled skiffs, while reducing or eliminating propellerdamage to habitat-sensitive areas.

Because conventionally-hulled skiffs are relatively fast and efficient(but draft deeper), and tunnel hulled skiffs are usually slower and lessefficient (but draft shallower), a choice of hulls has been one or theother, prior to this invention. There is a need for boats that candisplay the best advantages of both configurations, as desired. It isnecessary that these hulls have some means of raising and lowering themotor/propeller (such as a jackplate, etc.).

The idea for this invention was inspired by an encounter with a manatee,while operating a conventionally-hulled skiff. The inventor's objectivewas not to design an articulating tunnel to run in extremely shallowwater (as most tunnels will do), but rather to try to elevate thepropeller into a “non-intrusive mode.” The effective height of theinventor's type of tunnel is more extreme than most, to help achievethis “non-intrusive mode.”

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One of the objectives of this invention is to design an articulatingtunnel to allow an operator to choose the most desirable hullconfiguration for changing operating conditions while underway or atrest.

A further objective is to produce a method of articulation that isadaptable to a broad selection of planing hull types.

Another objective is to produce a tunnel design with a more extremeeffective height than most tunnel designs, to allow the propeller to beraised higher, relative to the bottom of the hull, thus creating a lessintrusive mode of operation for habitat-sensitive areas.

Another objective is to design the invention as a module, made to beplaced into a mold at the time of boat manufacture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the tunnel module along the plane1-1 of FIG. 2, showing hull segments in down (conventional) position.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the tunnel module along the plane2-2 of FIG. 1, showing hull segments in down (conventional) position.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the tunnel module along the plane2-2 of FIG. 1, showing hull segments in raised (tunnel) position.

FIG. 4 is an elevation end view of the stem of the hull, showing modulewith hull segments in down (conventional) position.

FIG. 5 is an elevation end view of the stem of the hull, showing modulewith hull segments in raised (tunnel) position.

FIG. 6 is a detail of FIG. 2 showing plate hinge hull and moduleattachment.

FIG. 7 is a detail of FIG. 2 showing a partial view of typical imbeddedstrap hinge attachment.

FIG. 8 is a detail of FIG. 4 showing Tee clip supports and travel-limitstops.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring first to FIG. 1, the tunnel module is shown in plan view,installed in a conventional skiff hull. For clarity, The top of themodule and the cap of the boat are not shown. The hull segments shown(1-6) are fabricated from hull material (typically fiberglass andKevlar), taken from a partial lay-up in a factory mold. Since theprototype utilizes imbedded strap hinges (typically conveyor beltmaterial) for its hull segment articulation, the strap hinges were laidin the mold prior to the lay-up, leaving the hull material flush withthe planing surfaces of the hull segments. The hull segments were thencut apart at the flex line indicated at the center of the strap hinge,between the front hull segments (bow end) and the rear hull segments(stem end). A perpendicular cross piece was then formed at the rear ofthe front hull segments 1, 2, and 3, and both the front and rear of therear hull segments 4, 5, and 6 (see FIG. 1, FIG. 4 and FIG. 8). Anadditional perpendicular cross piece with a horizontal flange made forthe attachment of plate hinges, was also formed at the front of fronthull segment 2 (see FIG. 6). The remaining cuts are made along the flexlines indicated at the center of the strap hinges (FIG. 1), andprojected through the cross pieces, separating segments 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,and 6. Two additional perpendicular stiffener plates are formed joiningthe perpendicular cross pieces at the front and back of rear hullsegments 4 and 6, as shown (FIG. 1, FIG. 4 and FIG. 8).

Hull segments 1 through 6 were then attached to the strap hinges (seeFIG. 7). The plate hinges are then fastened to the flange on the frontof front hull segment 2, and in turn fastened to the front of the tunnelmodule (see FIG. 6). The cylinder ram is attached to rear hull segment 5(see FIGS. 1 through 5). Since all hull segments are now tied together,when the ram presses down hull segment 5 onto the module's support clip(see FIG. 8), this assembly now becomes a rigid unit (as theperpendicular cross pieces and stiffeners now butt up and brace intoeach other). In this “down” position, the profile of the hull segmentsnow match the profile of a conventional hull.

When the cylinder switch is reversed, the ram lifts hull segment 5 (FIG.1, FIG. 4, FIG. 5 and FIG. 8). Because of the common strap hinge, hullsegments 1, 4, 6 and 3 will swing in an outward and downward arc (seeFIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 8). Hull segments 4, 5, and 6 swing out until theyform a flat surface. They will not swing any further because segments 4and 6 are tied together across the front, and across the back with twosimple cable-type stops (see FIG. 8). As the ram reaches the top of itsstroke, the outside edges of segments 1, 4, 6 and 3 will come to restagainst and upper travel-limit stop (as shown in FIG. 8). This raisedposition produces a tunnel shape within the inside of the tunnel module.This shape focuses water upward between the walls of the box and theplaning surfaces of segments 1, 2 and 3, toward the flat, horizontallift pad formed by the planing surfaces of segments 4, 5, and 6 (seeFIGS. 3, 5 and 8). A boat operator may engage the mechanism, up or down,underway or at rest, with the touch of a standard, directional toggleswitch.

While it is to be understood that the illustrations shown imply aspecific structure embodying the invention, it will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art that changes may be made without departing from thespirit, method and scope of the invention.

1. What I claim as my invention is a method of using articulating boathull segments that allows a boat operator to convert a conventional hullconfiguration to a tunnel hull configuration, or vice versa.
 2. The hullsegment articulation method is adaptable to most conventional planinghulls.
 3. This method can be scaled larger or smaller to accommodatedifferent sizes of hulls and propellers.